Riot begins search for new VCT EMEA Partner after KOI’s exit

Earlier in September, Riot Games announced that KOI’s partnership was being terminated following a breach of the team’s contract with the league. The termination left a slot in EMEA open, and organizations now have an opportunity to become franchised. Daniel Ringland, Head of VALORANT Esports in EMEA, has now provided an update on the open slot and how Riot plans to fill it.

In search for a new organization

A week ago, Riot launched an invite-only selection process to find their next partner team. In total, ten organizations with strong ties to VALORANT Esports in EMEA were invited—including outgoing visitor teams and Ascension contenders.

After receiving multiple strong proposals, Riot confirmed that the selection process will continue over the next few weeks. The selected team is expected to be announced in October.

What Riot is looking for

There are a few key criteria an organization needs to meet to be considered for the vacant slot. Competitive performance and operational readiness are, of course, essential for joining the partnership program. However, fandom and community engagement are nearly just as important. Riot wants to bring in an organization that will meaningfully grow the VCT audience and contribute to the overall VALORANT ecosystem in 2026 and beyond.

KOI kicked out of VCT

KOI’s partnership termination came as a surprise to both the community and the organization itself. Despite a few flashes of promise, KOI ultimately underperformed in terms of competitive results, content output, and even skin sales—falling short of the expectations needed to remain in the league.

Movistar KOI founder Ibai Llanos openly criticized Riot’s handling of the situation, claiming the team received no prior warnings about potential removal and that by the time they were informed, it was too late to fix the issues. Since the termination, all players have left the KOI roster, and the organization will not be participating in either the VCT or Ascension in 2026.

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Featured image source: Michal Konkol/Riot Games.